Ryan Trismen Selected to Receive Northeastern’s Outstanding Professional Doctorate Student Award in Practicum or Clinical Performance
04.16.24 — Ryan Trismen ’24 has been selected as the winner of the prestigious Outstanding Professional Doctorate Student Award in Practicum or Clinical Performance for 2024, which recognizes exceptional work and contributions to the Northeastern University community. He will be honored and officially recognized for “his dedication to tackling the acute challenges within the housing system through legal advocacy and policy reform” at the 2024 Academic Honors Convocation on April 18.
“Housing instability and homelessness are a quiet scourge on our community that cause horrible and long-lasting impacts on our neighbors. Eviction defense currently plays an important role in leveraging tenant protections, but further creative solutions are needed. Collaboration with community groups, development of innovative building incentives, and exploration of shared-equity housing models all have a place in creating sustainable change,” said Trismen, who participated in the School of Law’s Housing Rights Advocacy Clinic, under the supervision of clinic director Professor Ana Rivera. “I am honored to have been recognized for work that directly addressed client’s real situations, and I look forward to starting a career as a full-time advocate.”
Trismen's co-ops included Northeast Legal Aid, where he served as a 3:03 student practitioner representing Lowell renters facing eviction; a Nan Heald Black Fly Fellowship served through Pine Tree Legal Assistance, where he represented clients facing eviction in rural areas of Northwestern Maine as a student attorney; and Greater Boston Legal Services, where he represented clients facing debt collection actions in Boston small claims court. He also completed a part-time internship with the National Housing Law Project, researching RAD public housing transitions.
“Ryan’s dedication to addressing housing issues highlights our shared commitment to values of social responsibility and service," said Professor Hemanth Gundavaram, director of clinical programs. "By providing pro bono legal services in our clinics, students like Ryan not only gain practical experience but also embody Northeastern's ethos of making a positive impact in the world.”
The nation’s leader in experiential legal education since 1968, Northeastern University School of Law offers the longest-running, most extensive experience-based legal education program in the country. Northeastern guarantees its students unparalleled practical legal work experiences through its signature Cooperative Legal Education Program. More than 1,100 employers worldwide in a wide range of legal, government, nonprofit and business organizations participate in the program. With a focus on social justice and innovation, Northeastern University School of Law blends theory and practice, providing students with a unique set of skills and experiences to successfully practice law.
For more information, contact d.feldman@northeastern.edu.